A. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to a glass sheet handling apparatus and more specifically, to a glass sheet handling apparatus to horizontally receive a glass sheet from a conveyor and place it vertically on a pyramidal conveying shelf.
B. Description of the Previous Art
Discharging of horizontal glass sheets or plates from the roller driven conveyor of a production line, to load a predetermined number of them first on one side of a pyramidal conveying shelf and then on the other side thereof when the shelf rotates on the rotary platform, was previously manually performed by operators.
The procedure comprised a plurality of couples of operators each of them holding the front end of a horizontal glass sheet from the conveyor, placing it on the cushioning pad of a pyramidal conveying shelf, lifting the rear end thereof and pushing it to overcome a vertical position to be overloaded on a first wall (tilted about 120.degree. regarding the horizontal line) of the shelf, repeating the operation to load a plurality of glass sheets on said first wall of the shelf and then on the second opposite wall thereof by rotating the conveying shelf 180.degree..
Although simple, the most heavy and risky procedure for the operators and for the glass sheet, mainly for long glass sheets, is the step of lifting the rear end of the glass sheet because it is necessary that the operators, with a great effort, push up the glass sheet at a height greater than their own, supporting the most part of the weight of the glass sheet.
Furthermore, in a continuous and progressively faster production line, such a time consuming discharging .procedure presents serious limitations and risks for the operators, for the product and for the velocity of production.
Therefore it was highly desirable to have an automatic discharging apparatus with which it is only necessary, if any, that the operators receive the glass sheets from the conveyor and place its front end on the cushioning pad of the pyramidal conveying shelf, so that the apparatus push up the glass sheet at an angle enough to be overloaded on a tilted wall of the shelf.
As disclosed herein, applicants conceived an automatic glass sheet handling apparatus comprising: a discharging platform at the end of the sheet conveyor, to receive a glass sheet; a jointed angular member having a first end coupled to the platform and a second end pivotal anchored on a support structure; a fluid operated motor pivotal anchored on the support structure and having its piston pivotal coupled to the angular member; and a controller to control the operation of the fluid operated motor, so that when the piston is actuated, lifts the angular member with the platform carrying a glass sheet thereon, from a horizontal or tilted position to a vertical position, at an angle lightly greater than 90.degree. (usually 120.degree.) placing it on a tilted wall of a pyramidal conveying shelf.